Fiber-optics and optoelectronics are important aspects of modern networks at least in part since they allow for efficient, accurate and rapid transmission of optical data between various components in the network system. Optical transceiver modules (“transceivers”) are an example of devices used in networks (“network devices”). Since there are many different types of network devices, error testing each type of network device typically requires expensive equipment, and may not be easily accomplished.
Currently, there is no easy, relatively inexpensive, and repeatable way to test network devices to insure that they operate in accordance with their specifications. As such, a consumer using a network device, such as a serializer/deserializer (“SERDES”), a host bus adapter (“HBA”), switch, and any network device that interoperates with a transceiver, has been unable to verify the ability of the network device to handle a specific error (or specific level of error). In particular, there is no consumer device that can easily or efficiently test a network device's ability to deal with specific conditions within a network in a logical and/or repeatable manner. As a result, and since errors in a network are not always repeatable, a technician may often spend several days of random pattern testing to identify errors.